Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Anyang

For one person, living is cheaper in Anyang: $687 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Anyang
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Anyang Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Anyang

🇨🇳 China

$687

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Anyang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Anyang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Shanghai vs $687 in Anyang, rent included.

Shanghai $1,244
Anyang $687

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Shanghai vs $1,053 in Anyang, rent included.

Shanghai $1,999
Anyang $1,053

A family of three spends $2,755 per month in Shanghai vs $1,419 in Anyang, rent included.

Shanghai $2,755
Anyang $1,419

Shanghai costs about 81% more than Anyang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Shanghai and Anyang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 8% lower, Anyang 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$1.85 ¥12.38

146.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$12.12 ¥81.0

149.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$4.95 ¥33.09

6.06%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$1.33 ¥8.89

146.62%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.43 ¥2.88

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.21 ¥1.40

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.92 ¥6.14

33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$1.84 ¥12.27

23.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$1.50 ¥10.02

22.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$1.48 ¥9.92

32.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$0.74 ¥4.93

39.19%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$0.87 ¥5.79

91.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$11.99 ¥80.2

41.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$2.10 ¥14.07

51.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$10.10 ¥67.5

27.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$0.58 ¥3.86

286.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$0.61 ¥4.09

172.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$1.08 ¥7.21

87.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$1.13 ¥7.58

46.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$0.29 ¥1.91

165.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.62 ¥4.12

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.54 ¥3.59

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$0.38 ¥2.57

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$1.50 ¥10.05

153.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$9.95 ¥66.5

9.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$0.31 ¥2.09

164.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.38 ¥9.20

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$0.33 ¥2.17

84.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$16.51 ¥110

78.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$1.54 ¥10.29

37.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.27 ¥1.82

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$4.53 ¥30.29

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.30 ¥8.67

2.31%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.6K ¥131.1K

-2.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$14.9K ¥99.9K

25.27%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$57.8 ¥387

$73.5 ¥491

-21.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.09 ¥54.1

$4.59 ¥30.72

76.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$5.19 ¥34.70

101.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$47.50 ¥318

38.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$14.60 ¥97.6

22.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$5.20 ¥34.76

72.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,414 ¥9,451

$218 ¥1,457

548.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$19.8K ¥132.1K

40.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$33.53 ¥224

61.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$42.77 ¥286

-13.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$69.5 ¥465

6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$70.9 ¥474

48.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$298 ¥1,995

253.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$208 ¥1,393

180.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$623 ¥4,165

298.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$400 ¥2,673

208.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$3,348 ¥22.4K

315.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$1,881 ¥12.6K

232.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.13

7.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Anyang: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Anyang

$208 30.3% 64.4% $376

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Anyang

$163 23.7% 30.7% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Anyang

$98 14.2% 20% $24

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Anyang

$56 8.2% 46.8% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Anyang

$58 8.4% 30.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Anyang

$83 12.1% 9% $6.9

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Anyang

$21 3% 42.6% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Shanghai versus $298 in Anyang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai versus $12.00 in Anyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $163 – making Anyang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇨🇳 Anyang

🕒 Local time

15:14 3:14 PM

Same time as Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

1,147,000

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Shanghai Anyang 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Shanghai
Anyang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Shanghai vs Anyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 81%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,865 per month in Shanghai and $1,030 in Anyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Anyang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,244 in Shanghai and $687 in Anyang. That's a gap of about 81%.

Public transport costs about 78% less in Anyang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Anyang, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Shanghai at $1,244. In Anyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Anyang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Anyang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.